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The Pardee RAND Graduate School (PRGS.edu) is the largest public policy Ph.D. program in the nation and the only program based at an independent public policy research organization—the RAND Corporation.

New Orleans

Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005, the fate of the people, infrastructure, and economy of New Orleans has been the subject of extensive research and discussion. RAND established the Gulf States Policy Institute to provide objective analysis to federal, state, and local leaders in support of evidence-based policymaking and the well-being of communities and individuals throughout New Orleans and the greater Gulf States region.

Researchers examined school choice outcomes in New Orleans following 2005's Hurricane Katrina, including exit patterns of students across sectors and school types in New Orleans and the destination schools of mobile students.

Part of a series highlighting innovative models and best practices for local health departments' involvement in Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act outreach and enrollment, this report describes a case study on New Orleans, Louisiana.

Documentation for the 2009-2010 Displaced New Orleans Residents Survey (DNORS), a study of individuals and families who resided in New Orleans, Louisiana, prior to Hurricane Katrina. DNORS assessed medium-term outcomes five years after the hurricane.

We address immigrant day laborers' experiences with occupational safety in the construction industry in New Orleans, and opinions about content and method of communication for educational interventions to reduce occupational risks.

Known difficulties in preparing communities for disasters and a lack of focus on relationship building and organizational capacity in preparedness and response have led to a greater policy focus on community resiliency as a key public health approach to disaster response.

Just as public agencies across the country conducted terrorism risk assessments in the wake of 9/11, a comprehensive infrastructure assessment may be in order to understand natural hazard risks and the potential exacerbating effects of climate change, write Gary Cecchine, David Groves, and Jordan Fischbach.

Preparing for natural disasters is a long, multi-faceted process that requires years of planning, coordination, and direct action. RAND has developed a new approach for assessing hurricane flood risk in New Orleans under uncertainty and evaluating city-wide approaches for reducing this risk.

RAND researchers found many similarities between charter and traditional schools in New Orleans but greater satisfaction among charter school parents with their children's schools, as well as more perceived choices.

After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans replaced the city's existing school system with a decentralized choice-based system of both charter and district-run schools. An examination of principal, teacher, and parent surveys found many similarities between charter and traditional schools' performance but greater satisfaction among charter school parents with their children's schools, as well as more perceived choices.

Describes how nonstructural measures -- such as incentives for home elevation, incentives for relocation to lower-risk areas, and restrictions on the use of floodplain land -- can make New Orleans less vulnerable to storm surge.

The 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks warrants a thoughtful review of America's progress and future strategy. In this RAND Review cover story, RAND experts offer perspectives on Afghan-led solutions, ways to counter al Qaeda, air passenger security, and compensation for those affected by terrorism.

The composition of households in New Orleans made the city's families more vulnerable to breakup during the chaos that followed Hurricane Katrina. Two-thirds of the city's households at that time saw at least one family member move away, an unusually high number even given the tremendous destruction of the hurricane.

In his inaugural address, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu clearly accepted his dual challenge: rebuild a city that welcomes its still-displaced residents, and make long-needed changes to attract newcomers as well, writes Melissa Flournoy.

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Codirector, RAND Water and Climate Resilience Center

Jordan Fischbach is a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corporation, co-director of the Water and Climate Resilience Center, and an affiliate faculty member at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. He is a leader in climate adaptation, water resources management, and coastal planning. Fischbach…

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